Spot welding trans-guns are commonly used in steel industrial welding applications, particularly in automated processes utilizing robotic technology. The automotive industry has been progressively moving toward aluminum body panels and structural components to reduce vehicle weight, while also retaining structural integrity. However, in applications for such spot welding trans-guns, aluminum spot welding requires welding currents approximately three times that of steel of a similar gauge. These higher currents mandate larger, higher capacity primary conductors to transmit welding current from the weld controller to the robotically mounted trans-gun in order to prevent the generation of excessive temperatures in the conducting material, such as copper, caused by the electrical resistance of the conducting material. More specifically, the cross-sectional diameter of the conducting material of the primary conductor must be significantly increased to avoid excessive heat energy being generated within the conducting material. These larger, heavier primary conductors are, however, not as flexible and are capable of only very high bend radii, which significantly reduce articulation capability, particularly when manipulated by robots, and are expensive.
Efforts to improve primary conductor features included efforts to reduce the cross-sectional diameter of the conducing material, while providing air cooling to the primary conductor. These efforts, however, have been unsuccessful. Hence, a high capacity aluminum spot welding trans-gun primary cable capable of improved articulation capability, particularly when manipulated by robots, while retaining acceptable amperage and temperature performance, at minimal cost which overcomes these drawbacks, would be advantageous.